Fastener for crate covers



Aug. 13, 1929.

J. B. PETERSON FASTENER FOR CRATE COVERS Filed NOV. 17, 1926 iNVENTOR 70k; B P0 i'ersan BY 71w v 023m.

. ATTORNEY,

Patented Aug. 13, 1929 JOHN B. PETERSON, OF BLAINE, WASHINGTON;

FASTENER FOR CRATE COVERS.

Application filed November 17, 1926. Serial No. 148,916.

This invention relates to fasteners for crate covers, and particularly to' a detachable fastener which may be easily removed from the crate and cover, and easily adjusted to position to hold the cover in place, but will not become detached except by the operator, when necessary to remove the cover.

In the storage and transportation of eggs,

1 it is customary to use a rectangular box or crate, with a flat removable cover, and vari ous methods have been employed for the purpose of holding the cover in place, as large nails cannot be driven without danger of breaking the eggs in the crate, and small nails or screws require considerable time in the removal, and the covers soon become split and worn out by the use thereof.

Other attempts have been made to use clips attached to the covers with hooks to spring over cleats on the crates, but hooks are easily pressed off the cleats, as they must be made long enough to reach over the cleats in an oblique line when being placed in desired position, and when in fixed position on the covers, prevent the covers being stored in compact piles when not used on crates, with other objections. Still other devices have been tried, which require the operat-ion together of several parts of peculiar and expensive construction.

It is the object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive fastener which can be easily placed in position to hold the cover securely in position on the crate, and will not be easily knocked off or displaced in transportation, and yet may be easily and quickly removed by the operator when necessary to open the crate or remove the cover.

I have illustrated my invention by the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 represents a front elevational sectional view of an egg crate and cover held in position by my fasteners.

Figure 2 represents an end elevational view of the crate cover and fasteners.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the fastener.

Like numerals on the different figures represent like parts.

Numeral 1 represents any common, standard egg crate, with cleats 2 across each end, attached thereto permanently, both for reinforcement and to serve as handles, and 55 means for attaching or retaining the cover 3 on the crate, the cover being usually a thin board the width of the crate. 4 is the body of thefastener, or the clip, claimed as the invention. The top portion is bent at right angles to form a clamp 5 against the top of the crate cover 3, and suitable friction points 6 are formed on the lower face of the clamp portion 5, of any suitable shape, as may be easily done by punches from the upper side, and the corners are preferably slightly turned down to form claws 7, which, taken with the points 6, are easily compressed into or impinged against the top of the cover by means of a bent portion to form a coil 8 on the lower end of the fastener, which is pressed under the edge of the cleats.

The fastener is preferably made of resilient metal, and the distance between the body of the coil 8 and the under side of the clamp 5, is slightly less than the distance between the top of the cover and the lower edge of the cleats, so that when the coil is pressed manually beneath the cleat, the points 6 and 7 are compressed against or into the top of the cover, and effectually prevent the clamp from being'moved or displaced in the ordinary method of transportation. The bearing portion of coil 8, when the fastener is in position to hold the cover, is at some distance from the outer edge of the cleat, and in order to remove the coil from beneath the cleat, the coil must be extended slightly, and the body portion, or one or both of the end portions, moved against the tension of the metal, which normally holds the clamp and coil portions closer together than the distance between the cover and the outer lower edge of the cleats. The natural tension prevents the coil end from slipping out from beneath the cleat, except when manual means is applied therefor. But the fastener may be easily removed by the hands, or a simple tool, applied, either to raise the clamp, or press out the coil from closed position.

While I have described the fastener in the drawings as a flat metal strap, I do not limit my invention to such construction, or to use on egg crates alone, and expect to frequently use wires properly bent, to form a sprin at one end, and the other end bent to form rictionpoints to hold the cover in position.

What I claim is A detachable and removable fastener for a crate cover having a straight shank portion one end of the shank portion being rolled inwardly to form aspring latch, the opposite end of the shank portion being provided With an inwardly extending section at right angles to the shank portion, the outer edge of the inwardly extending section being provided with a plurality of inwardly stamped projections for securely holding'the inwardly extending section of the shank por- 10 tion in contact With the top of the crate cover, the shank portion being of suitable length for permitting the spring roll to fit In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

JOHN B. PETERSON. 

